It's About Time
by xiexiegirl
Summary: Alex was a dancer. Was being the operative word. Then he met Louis.


Alex was a dancer. "Was" being the operative word. A car crash and broken and bruised legs screwed that one up really well.

They healed and he went through physical therapy. But it wasn't the same.

He couldn't move the same and he had to watch his friends and fellow dancers perform in a show he'd spent months rehearsing for.

He got a job as a waiter to pay the bills on his apartment, and tried to keep going, at least. It was hard. He shoved all his dance stuff into boxes and put them in the back of his closet.

He worked as a waiter for four, almost five months, before they promoted him. Not that he really cared much. He was depressed, and he knew it, but he couldn't bring himself to do anything about it.

That was when he met Louis. Louis was cheerful, to the point of annoying, had the blondest hair Alex had seen in years, and was a bit of a music geek. He always had one earbud in, unless he was talking to Alex, in which case, the cord hung around his neck, although the music kept playing.

Louis became a regular at the restaurant and Alex took his lunch break whenever he came in. They'd eat and talk, and, at some point, Louis would hold out one of his earbuds and say _"Alex, listen"_ and Alex would lean over until Louis could fit the earbud into his ear and listen. Some days it was pop, some days it was rock, sometimes 80s or show tunes. Louis' music taste depended on his mood, and the happier he was, the more upbeat the music.

It made him miss the Louis he had been best friends with as kids. But Alex had given up on finding him years ago.

One day, Louis came in, ordered his usual cup of coffee and waffle, and the proceeded to drown the waffle in syrup, also as usual. Only, Louis' earbuds were nowhere to be seen. He had no music playing. He hadn't even turned on a song on the old jukebox that was sitting in the corner, as he was wont to do, despite his headphones. Alex took that as a very bad sign and informed his boss Louis was here and that he was taking his break. Marta, the owner, nodded.

"You go find out what's wrong with that boy, okay? I'm so used to him commandeering the old jukebox that I hadn't even realized he'd come in until you took out a waffle and coffee." She smiled at Alex and handed him a cup of coffee for himself before pushing him towards Louis' table.

"Louis?" Alex asked, sitting down. "You okay?" Louis snorted and took a bite of his waffle. "What's wrong?" Louis shrugged and took another bite. Alex sat and stared at his unusually quiet friend for a few minutes before he had an idea. "Where's your earbuds? You usually have them on and blasting whatever song you're hooked on for the day."

Louis pointed to his messenger bag and Alex fished out Louis' earbuds and iPod. He handed them to Louis.

"I know you prefer music to talking. So play what you feel. Or whatever best applies to what's going on." Alex told him. Louis gave a faint smile at how well Alex knew him after less than a year and nodded.

Alex watched him flick through his music for a few minutes before eventually holding out an earbud and pressing play.

When "Cold-Hearted" started playing, Alex blinked at the blond in front of him. Well, it certainly explained his mood. After a minute of thought, Alex handed the earbud back to the blond and got up. Louis blinked at him, confused.

"Come on, Louis. Time to cheer you up." The former dancer said. "Marta!" Alex walked over to his boss and gave her his biggest, most pleading smile. "I hate to ask, but Louis won't cheer up. Can I...?" He trailed off and Marta smiled at him.

"Of course, honey. You can make up the hours later. Go cheer your boy up." She told him and Alex blushed.

"He's not my boy, Marta." Alex muttered. "But thanks." He took off his apron and hung it on the hook on the wall before grabbing his bag and walking back over to Louis. "Let's go." He said, and grabbed the blond's hand before dragging him out the door.

"Go where?" Louis asked, confused and trying to keep up with Alex. He didn't answer and instead dragged Louis to the nearest bus stop just in time to catch the bus and climbed on, paying both fares and sitting down. "Where are we going?"

"Somewhere. Now hush, Louis." Alex told him before tipping his head back against the seat and closing his eyes.

"Kidnapping's illegal, you know." The blond told him. Alex smirked without opening his eyes.

"It's not kidnapping. You and I both know you could kick my ass if you wanted to." He pointed out.

"You have a point. Fine, I'll shut up and see where you're dragging me off to." Louis sat back, pulled out his iPod and earbuds, put one in his ear and held the other out. Alex took it without opening his eyes. "How did you know?" Louis blinked and the brunet grinned.

"Because you always do that when I'm with you."

"Oh." The blond said and turned slightly pink. He hadn't realized he'd been doing it.

"Now relax. Like I would lead you somewhere_ really_ dangerous." Louis smiled and nodded, even thought Alex couldn't see it. "Now, relax and turn on some music, okay?" Louis acquiesced and started a song before tipping his head back and closing his eyes, identical to Alex's pose.

Before long, they got to the stop Alex wanted to get off at and he pulled the cable to let the driver know they wanted to get off. Louis put his iPod away and followed Alex off the bus and down the street.

After several minutes of walking, Alex finally stopped in front of one of the empty, boarded-up storefronts in an old strip mall.

"Um, Alex..." Louis looked around nervously. He didn't know this part of town well. "Why are we in front of the old Media Play?"

"Because. The old Media Play is our destination." Alex rolled his eyes. "Duh. Now, come on." Alex dug around in his bag for a minute before coming up with a ring of keys. After a few minutes of fiddling, he managed to unlock the door and step inside, gesturing for Louis to follow him. Alex turned and felt along the wall to the left of the door and flipped the light switches when he found them.

The lights turned on slowly, because it had been a while since he had been there last.

Alex had, back when he'd been dancing, bought the place since it was going for fairly cheap, and scraped enough together to make sure he could pay for it each month. He'd fixed it up and turned it into a dance studio. One that had a really awesome sound system and he was going to cheer Louis up as best he could with it.

"iPod." Alex said, and held out his hand. Louis handed it over to him and Alex plugged it in to the sound system, although he didn't start a song. He pulled Louis over to the dance floor. "I don't think I ever told you this, but I used to dance. A lot. I kind of did it professionally. And, when I got down in the dumps because of a girl or a boy, like you are now, I would come here and dance." Alex sat down on the floor and leaned against the wall, resting his arms on his knees. "I haven't danced in months. But I thought you might appreciate this place. Just a little."

Louis sat down next to him and smiled. "I do. Thanks." He bumped shoulders with Alex. "Why'd you stop dancing? If you don't mind talking about it." Alex sighed and leaned forward until his head rested on his arms. After a minute, he started talking.

"About, god, a year and a half ago now, I was on my way home from rehearsals for the show I was part of. There was a drunk driver and I got in a head on collision. Miraculously, I survived. But I broke _both_ my legs and the breaks weren't clean and went through a couple of muscles too, if I remember the doctors right." Alex sighed again and continued talking. "I eventually healed and did the physical therapy thing, but it wasn't the same. I couldn't move the same, dance the same." Alex raised his head and leaned back until his head was resting against the wall. "It... Hurt. Not physically. I haven't danced since."

Louis didn't say anything for a while, watching Alex. "Why show me this place, then?"

"Because... It's time I got back on my feet and start dancing again. And I wanted you to dance with me." Alex said, getting up and holding out a hand to Louis, who took it, and pulled him up.

"You've seen me move, Alex. I am not the most coordinated person."

"And I've seen people less coordinated than you dance awesomely. So, at least give it a shot." Alex hit play on Louis' iPod and grinned when Lady Gaga started playing. "I knew you liked her music."

"Oh, shut up." Louis muttered, blushing. Alex chuckled and grabbed his hand.

"Now, come on and dance."

* * *

><p>Louis was a lot more cheerful after that.<p>

He came into the restaurant usually smiling, playing songs on the jukebox, despite having his earbuds in. He got a little morose whenever he saw a happy couple, and when that happened, Alex would drag him back out to the old Media Play and make him dance until Louis was back to his chipper self.

Alex was a lot more cheerful after that, as well. He hadn't realized how much he'd missed dancing until he'd started again. He and Louis were better friends now, too. Probably because Louis was one of the few people Alex wasn't scared of falling on his ass in front of. Which he did often enough to embarrass him slightly. He was a former dancer and shouldn't fall that much. But at least Louis was there to offer him a hand up and a smile and not give him crap.

A few months later and Alex even had a cat. He wasn't one for animals, usually, but he'd stumbled across the kitten while taking out his garbage and couldn't resist taking it home. The kitten was ash grey with lots of little white spots and Alex named him Copernicus; Cop for short. Louis loved Cop as much as Alex did, and though he tried to deny it, often came over just so he could play with the cat.

"Dude, I think you actually love that cat more than I do." Alex said on one such occasion. Louis gave him an offended look that melted when Cop climbed from Louis' shoulders onto his head, leaned over the front, and started swiping at Louis' glasses. Alex reached over and picked Cop up, untangling him from Louis' hair.

"Hey!" Louis said, reaching up from where he was sitting. "Give him back!"

"Point proven." Alex said, smirking, and handed Cop back to Louis, who grinned and started petting Cop again. After a minute, though, Louis set Cop down and sighed. "What's wrong?" Alex asked.

"You know how Andrew broke up with me?" Louis asked and Alex nodded. "Well, when he left, Specs—Brandon, but we called him Specs because he's a computer geek who will spout off the specs for his computer at the drop of a hat," Louis explained at Alex's confused look "-took his side and now I'm out of a roommate and can't make rent. I was wondering if you knew anyone who'd be able to put up with a music-addicted, cat-loving dork for a roommate?"

"Conveniently, my lease is up at the end of the month and I was thinking of moving. Can you put up with a cat-loving, dancing dork as a roommate?" Alex asked, grinning. Louis grinned back.

"Excellent! When do you wanna move in?" Louis asked before getting distracted by Cop, who was attempting to climb back up onto his shoulders. Alex smiled softly at the sight of Louis playing with Cop.

"If you're free, this weekend?" Alex suggest and Louis laughed.

"I just informed you I lost one of my best friends in the break-up with my boyfriend and you really think I have _plans_?" The blond raised an eyebrow at his friend and Alex chuckled.

"Point taken. I'll start packing."

* * *

><p>The following Monday, after several injuries, a lot of swearing, and almost running over the cat with the moving truck <em>twice<em>, Alex and all his stuff was in Louis' apartment, which was _huge_.

"I didn't realize your apartment was this big." Alex said, blinking at the enormous living room. "Where, exactly, do you work again?"

"I, uh, might be the vice-president of a local company." Louis explained.

"Then why have a roommate if money isn't an issue?" Alex asked, curious.

"I hate being alone." The blond muttered, blushing a little. Alex smiled and hugged him.

"Well, you're not alone now."

"True. Also, you should be warned. My other friends have the tendency to drop by unexpectedly at any given time." Louis said.

"Awesome." Alex replied. "I'll just have to stop walking around pantless when I'm home alone."

"Seriously, your only response is 'awesome'-wait, pantless?" Louis blinked at his roommate, who grinned.

"Yes, pantless. I don't like wearing pants unless I have to." Alex explained as if it was the most regular thing in the world to walk around without pants when one was home alone. "Well, I should cut down on that anyway since I have a roommate." Louis just shrugged.

"Dude, do it if you feel comfortable. I don't care. Just don't lose the underwear and we're fine." The blond told him.

"...you really don't care if I decide to go without pants for an afternoon?" Alex asked, honestly surprised.

"Dude, if it makes you comfortable, I don't care." Louis said, shrugging. "Although, I'll warn you now, I will most likely join you in pantslessness once in a while." Alex snickered.

"You're welcome to. I'll be glad to have the-" Whatever else Alex was about to say was cut short by Louis' apartment door opening and three people stepping inside without warning. "...these would be the friends you warned me about, huh?" Louis nodded and waved to his friends.

"Hi, guys. This is my friend, and new roommate, Alex Garcia. Alex, this is, from left to right, Tony, Sean, and Jeremy." As he said their names, they all smiled and waved, though Tony paused mid-wave and stared at Alex for a few minutes before speaking.

"Wait, Alex... _Bumlets_?"

At the sound of the nickname he hadn't heard since middle school, Alex's head shot up and he promptly dropped Cop, who let his displeasure be known by digging his claws into Alex's foot and yowling as loud has he could. His owner noticed none of this and was busy staring at Louis like he'd just figured out world peace. Louis was staring back at Alex the exact same way.

"Louis... Louis Schmidt... Holy shit, _Dutchy_." Alex practically shouted the last word before wrapping Louis in the tightest hug he could. The blond hugged him back just as tightly. "How did I not realize it was you?"

"I dunno, the universe just sucks?" Louis shrugged and hugged him again. Alex hugged back, hiding his huge grin in Louis' shoulder.

* * *

><p>Alex and Louis had been friends from about kindergarten until eighth grade, when Alex and his family moved away. They'd kept up letters and phone calls for a while, but those eventually stopped.<p>

When Alex still lived there, though, he and Louis were best friends. They were part of a bigger group and everyone had nicknames, but it was usually just Louis and Alex. Or, Bumlets and Dutchy, as they were better known in those days.

He'd known a couple of other Louis Schmidts as he'd gotten older and moved back, one of whom was blond, so he didn't even bother considering that the dorky Louis who loved music and cats was the same one he'd known as a kid. He didn't think he'd be able to handle the disappointment again.

Finding out that his childhood best friend was his current best friend had to be one of the best things to have happened to Alex in a long time. And he was glad for it.

* * *

><p>"Remember, in sixth grade, when Race dared Itey to try and kiss Spot?" Louis asked and Alex cracked up at the memory.<p>

"And poor Itey. It was only _after_ Spot clocked him that he had a chance to explain. And then Spot kicked proceeded to kick Race's ass. And then Race kicked the crap out of Itey for snitching." They both roared with laughter at the memory of Itey's face after everything that had happened to him. "I feel terrible laughing at him. But it was just way too funny."

"Yeah. I feel like I should apologize, but, Bum, I can't bring myself to actually care." Louis said, shrugging. Alex nodded and gave a soft smile when he realized what Louis said. "What?" the blond asked, confused by his roommate's expression.

"You called me Bum. I haven't been called that since I moved in eighth grade." Alex explained, shrugging nonchalantly. Louis smiled and gave him a one-armed side-hug.

"So, nobody else called you Bum?"

"Nope. Nobody called me Bumlets either." Alex paused before continuing. "Well, my mom did. Once. But I kind of lost it. Locked myself in my room and got all mopey for a couple of days."

"Yeah, sounds like me the one time someone called me Dutchy after you left. I snapped. And possibly punched Race in the face." Louis admitted, turning slightly pink.

"Does this mean nobody else called you Dutchling, then?" Alex asked, smirking. Louis blushed and buried his face in his hands.

"You were the only one who got to call me that." He muttered from behind his hands.

"Aw, really, Dutchling?" Alex smiled at his friend, who was steadily turning redder.

"Yes." The blond muttered. "It's something that you came up with. Like I was gonna let anybody else call me that." Louis said, shrugging.

"Damn, Louis, I can't believed I didn't realize it was you." Alex said, pulling his friend into a hug. "I guess, since you aren't the only blond Louis Schmidt I've known, I didn't want to get my hopes up. But that doesn't explain why you didn't recognize me."

"Do you know how many Alex Garcias there are? Even if I narrow it down by those who dance... So I stopped looking." Louis shrugged. "Couldn't take it, you know? The disappointment when realizing that this person I was hoping is my best friend _isn't_, you know?" Alex nodded.

"Yeah, I know, Dutchling." He said and Louis blushed. "What, is the nickname embarrassing now?"

"No." He muttered. "Just not used to hearing it from a grown-up Bumlets is all. It sounds different."

"Yeah. And hearing you say Bumlets is odd. I'm still used to a thirteen-year-old Dutchy squeaking it out." Alex said, shrugging.

"I did not _squeak_!" Louis said, mock offended.

"Oh, please, you did and you know it. We all did."

"You have a point." Louis admitted.

"Of course I do, Dutchling."

* * *

><p>When they were kids, Alex had a crush on Louis.<p>

About a month after they'd met, Alex's mother had gone to pick him up from kindergarten and he had dragged Louis over to his mother and informed her, in his most serious five-year-old voice, that he was going to marry Louis someday. When his mom told him boys weren't allowed to marry other boys, Alex burst into tears, wrapped his arms around Louis, and cried until Louis promised him that he'd wait until it was allowed and they'd get married then.

After much begging, his mother got him one of the cheap rings from the quarter machine and he'd given it to Louis, who hugged him and promised they'd be friends forever. Alex's mother had snapped a picture. Alex still had the picture, complete with his five-year-old self's handwriting on the back that read "Lex and Luis, 1994".

Alex, now twenty-two, doubted Louis remembered. It was seventeen years ago, after all.

At least he still had the picture.

* * *

><p>Louis would probably never tell Alex, but he still remembered. He actually still had the ring, too, although he was <em>definitely<em> never telling Alex that part. Even after they'd lost touch, Louis could never bring himself to throw it in the trash. None of the guys asked, because they all knew who it was from, and while his now-ex-boyfriend asked once, Louis just said that it was important to him and told him to leave it.

Louis figured that was probably one of the contributing factors to their break-up. The other being that Louis never really got over his childhood crush on Alex. Everybody he dated was measured up against Alex in his head and they always fell short.

He really needed to stop doing that.

* * *

><p>Three weeks into sharing an apartment, and it was like they hadn't spent eight years apart. Racetrack flat-out refused to talk to them when they were together, because they had the tendency to finish each other's sentences and hijack the conversation.<p>

Racetrack also refused to drop by without being invited anymore, because apparently, the fact that neither Louis nor Alex had a problem walking around without pants disturbed him.

"Seriously, when is he going to relax on that?" Alex asked, rolling his eyes and flopping down onto the couch with a pint of Ben & Jerry's to watch Big Bang Theory reruns.

"Hell if I know. Who cares, though? I get to walk around with no pants on and a roommate who doesn't care." Louis shrugged as he sat down, also holding a pint of ice-cream. "This is like Jack and Eric from Boy Meets World. Only better."

"You do realize they were totally fucking, right?" Alex asked him, eyebrows raised. Louis gave him a scandalized look.

"Take that back! You are not ruining my childhood!" He shouted, indignant. Alex snorted.

"Please, Louis. Do I need to show you the episodes?"

"Yes, actually. I want more than just your insistence that Jack and Eric were, as you put it, 'fucking'." Louis wrinkled his nose at the word and Alex rolled his eyes.

"Still have that issue with swearing, I see." He teased and Louis blushed.

"So what? Some of us just don't like using vulgar words."

"Something wrong with the word 'fuck', Dutchling?" Alex asked, eyebrow raised. Louis, as he did every time Alex called him "Dutchling", blushed and scowled.

"No. I just don't like using it."

"Why don't you like it?" Alex asked, honestly curious. Louis shrugged.

"Our last big fight over the phone. After you moved. We were arguing because we didn't get to talk a lot. And you said something and the last thing I remember of that conversation is shouting that I wasn't the one who effi—fucking—moved away." Louis explained, shrugging.

"Good thing you don't remember my reply, because it was very uncomplimentary. In two languages." Alex told him, and Louis chuckled.

"Yeah, I remember you always used to like swearing in Spanish if you could get away with it."

"Used to?" Alex scoffed. "Still do, dork." He then followed it up with a fairly impressive string of Spanish swear words, which ended with him basically calling Louis a male prostitute.

"Thanks, Alex. You had to call me a hooker, didn't you?" Louis rolled his eyes and Alex grinned.

"Of course I did. This is me, after all." He reached over and ruffled Louis' hair, which cause the blond to scowl. "Now, what was that you were saying about Boy Meets World, Dutchling?"

* * *

><p>"Okay, you have a point." Louis admitted four hours later. "They totally have a thing."<p>

"The word, Louis, is 'fucking'." Alex corrected, grinning. "Say it with me, fuck-ing."

"Yes, fucking." Louis rolled his eyes. "Anyway. You're right. They're together. They have a thing. They... fuck. However you want to put it."

"Glad you see my point." Alex grinned again.

"Yeah, yeah. Whatever." Louis muttered, rolling his eyes again, freezing when he saw the clock.

"What is it?"

"I have a date tonight and I really don't want to go. Racetrack convinced me to go. I tried to tell him that I really didn't want to, but next thing I know, Race has convinced me."

"You could fake sick." Alex suggested.

"Race would see through it in seconds."

"Not if I'm the one to tell him. I still have the reputation as a goody-two-shoes, remember?" Alex reminded Louis, who grinned. "Now, phone." The blond handed it over and Alex dialed Racetrack's number. "Racetrack!" he greeted when the phone was answered.

"_No, Spot. Race is cooking."_

"Oh. Can you give Race the phone?"

"_Sure, I guess. Race! Louis' boyfriend is on the phone!" _Spot shouted on the other end of the line.

"I am not his boyfriend!" Alex shouted, but Spot was already gone and handing the phone to Racetrack.

"_What's up?"_

"Louis is sick. He mentioned you had set him up for a date tonight and asked me to call you. It's nothing too serious, mind you." Alex rushed the last bit out in an attempt to keep Racetrack from worrying. There were times when the fact that he was Italian was really obvious, and one of those was whenever someone was sick, because Racetrack would break out the family recipe book his mother had given him when he moved out and proceed to cook enough food to feed a small country. "But he's way too sick to go out tonight."

"_So. Did he put you up to this?"_

"No. He just doesn't want to go. I suggested it."

"_You? Goody-two-shoes Alex Garcia?"_

"You could sound less surprised, Race." Alex muttered, scowling.

"_Alright, keep your hair on." _There was a sigh from the other end of the line before Racetrack spoke again. _"Look. I didn't want to tell you this right now. But since Louis is refusing to go, I will. You were hopefully going to be his date tonight. I was going to call you once he left and convince you to go."_

"But—what—Race—we're not—I mean..." Alex stuttered, stunned.

"_I know you're not now. But I was hoping you would be. Look, you two have been ass-over-tea-kettle since kindergarten. You cried when you were told Louis couldn't marry you."_

"I was five. I would've cried if you told me the sky was green." Alex said, rolling his eyes. Louis gave him a confused look but he shook his head. "Don't ask," he mouthed and Louis nodded.

"_Maybe, but not nearly as hard as you cried then. And I know you still have a picture of that day that your mom took."_

"So? Childhood memories."

"_Right. And also why you still have the box of candy hearts he gave you in seventh grade. Right?"_

"Those things never go bad. Why not save them?"

"_So why not eat them?"_

"Maybe I'm saving them for something. Like a Valentine's day alone."

"_And you haven't eaten them before now? Despite spending every single Valentine's since eighth grade alone?"_

"Shut up, Race. And maybe you're right. But what about him, huh? He doesn't feel that way."

"_Right. Which is why Louis still refuses to throw out the cheap twenty-five cent ring you gave him. And has a grocery bag full of valentines from elementary and middle school that are all from you, right? All because he doesn't feel that way."_ There was a sigh from Racetrack's end of the line. _"Look, honestly, I was trying to get him over you. And then when I found out that the Alex he talked about constantly was you, it was a matter of trying to get you two together. Now please, do yourselves and everyone who knows you a favor and get together."_

There was a beep from the other end of the line, signaling Racetrack had hung up. Alex stared at the wall, still stunned.

"Alex?" Louis asked, leaning over and waving a hand in front of his roommate's face to try and get his attention.

"Huh? Oh! Sorry. Something Race said is bothering me." Alex said, shaking his head.

"What'd he say?"

"Apparently, I was going to be your date tonight."

"_What_?" Alex was fairly certain Louis hit a note a soprano would be envious of.

"Ow. Also, yeah. Apparently, once you left, he was going to call and convince me to be your date." He explained. Louis stared at him. "Also, we've supposedly been in love since kindergarten. Well, okay, I have. Don't know about you, though. Also, did you really keep the cheap ring I gave you back then?"

Louis didn't seem to hear Alex's question and just sat there, staring at him.

"Uh, Louis?" Alex snapped his fingers in front of Louis' face a few times.

"Huh? Oh. Um. Yeah, I kept the ring." The blond said, shrugging. "I—yeah. I couldn't get rid of it." He seemed to fight with himself over something before speaking again. "And. I—I have, too. Been. You know. In love with you. Since kindergarten."

"...Really?" Alex asked, surprised. Louis nodded. "Yeah. I—same. So..." He trailed off, looking anywhere but at Louis. He might be something of a romantic for thinking it, but he'd kinda been hoping that if they did ever talk about it and Louis reciprocated, that'd be it. No awkwardness after. Just making out. And preferably a lot of it.

But the universe loved to point and laugh at him and he got stuck with the awkward. Alex did not appreciate the universe's sense of humor.

* * *

><p>Three days after the phone call with Racetrack and they were still incredibly awkward around each other. Racetrack called that evening while Alex was holed up in his room.<p>

"_Please tell me you both admitted how you felt and have spent the last three days fucking each other's brains out."_ He said the second Alex picked up the phone.

"Yes, we told each other how we felt. No, we have not spent the last three days fucking each other." Alex sighed. "It's mainly been awkward."

"_Really?"_

"Yes. I hate it."

"_Okay. Oh, Spot just got home. I'll call you back in a bit."_ There was a beep on the other end and Alex dropped the phone to his lap and buried his face in his hands.

Ten minutes after, there was a commotion from the hallway. Alex got up and poked his head out the door to see Racetrack and Spot trying to drag Louis down the hallway. Towards Alex's room.

"Anthony Leonardo Higgins. What are you doing to my roommate?" Alex asked, leaning against his door jamb, arms crossed and eyebrows raised at the trio in the hall.

"Uh, you see, Alex, we were just trying to fix the problem between you two." Racetrack said and, after a glare from Alex, dropped Louis. "Uh, hey, Spot. We have that thing. To go do. We're late.

"Right, yeah. Bye!" Spot said and they both took off running, Louis still lying on the floor. Once they were gone, he got up and dusted himself off.

"So. Uh. We should probably talk about this." Louis said and Alex nodded.

"Look. We're both in love with each other. We have to sort this out." He said, wringing his hands and biting his lip.

"Okay. Yeah. So, what do we do?"

"Well... Oh, _fuck_ it." Alex muttered, walking over to Louis, fisting his hands in Louis' shirt, and dragging him in for a kiss. Louis made a startled noise and froze for a second before kissing back.

* * *

><p>Racetrack and Spot peered around the corner into the hallway and saw Alex and Louis kissing. They pulled apart for a moment, Alex whispered something Racetrack couldn't hear, and both he and Louis grinned stupidly before kissing again.<p>

He looked at Spot, who was grinning (and Racetrack suspected that he had a similar look on his face). They high-fived and, as quietly as they could, snuck out of the apartment.

Racetrack tried calling later that evening to see how they were doing. The phone went unanswered.

Racetrack hit the "end call" button and smirked.


End file.
